The Dow Chemical Company announced today a $1 million commitment with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to promote STEM education. As part of Dow’s STEMtheGAP initiative, today’s announcement is aligned to the Company’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) mission of building the workforce of tomorrow by supporting teachers, motivating student achievement, developing careers, and collaborating with communities to transform STEM education into a driver for innovation, manufacturing, and economic prosperity.

The announcement was made at the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Great Lakes Bay Region FIRST Robotics Competition District Event by Deborah Borg, president, Dow USA and Dean Kamen, founder, FIRST. Alongside community leaders, educators and participating students, Borg and Kamen solidified Dow’s partnership with FIRST and each organization’s commitment to STEM education through strategic collaborations and engagement.

“Dow has survived and thrived for more than a century because of the strength of our innovation engine, built on a foundation of STEM talent,” said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Investing in the education of our youth means investing in our shared future and the future of our Company. There is no better way to inspire children to pursue careers in STEM than through the hands-on project based learning experiences that FIRST provides.”